Zelensky Briefs Rubio, Holds Talks With Trump Envoys Ahead of Geneva Trilateral Meeting

February 16 ------ President Volodymyr Zelensky has held a series of high-level contacts with US officials and intermediaries ahead of a planned trilateral meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States scheduled for next week in Geneva.

Zelensky said he recently spoke with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, both representing US President Donald Trump, to discuss preliminary outcomes from earlier contacts between Ukrainian, Russian, and US officials in Abu Dhabi. “Some working ideas were discussed following the Abu Dhabi meetings,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “Not everything can be discussed over the phone, and Ukraine’s negotiating team will present our position next week.”

Separately, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to the Ukrainian president, he briefed Rubio on the situation along the front line, ongoing Russian strikes, and the consequences of attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The two also discussed the diplomatic process and the upcoming trilateral talks, though Zelensky did not disclose details. “It is important that there is progress on security guarantees and economic recovery,” he said.

The Geneva meeting is set to take place on Feb. 17–18. Russia’s delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while Ukraine’s delegation will be headed by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov. Sources cited by Reuters said the US delegation will include Witkoff and Kushner. Before the Geneva talks, the US representatives are also expected to hold a separate round of negotiations with Iran.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said negotiations to end the war in Ukraine remain far from finished, dismissing what he called overly optimistic claims of progress. Speaking to Russian TV, Lavrov said talks held in Abu Dhabi showed there was “still a long way to go,” pushing back on suggestions that US President Donald Trump had forced Kyiv and Europe toward a ceasefire.

Prior to that, Lavrov accused Washington of derailing its own peace initiative, claiming Russia accepted US proposals during earlier talks in Anchorage but that the Americans later backed away while maintaining sanctions.

Source: kyivpost.com